Circuit-interrupter.



Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

2 SHEBTS-SHEET 2.

F. W. HARRIS.

CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER.

APPLIOATI-ON FILED MAY 9, 10035044.

& M w INVENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FORD W. HARRIS, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF EAST PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CIRCUIT-INTERRUPTER.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, F om TV. T'IARRIS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of VVilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Circnit- Interrupters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to circuit interrupters andit has special reference to such interrupters as are adapted for relatively 'high voltage cireuits and for out-door or manhole service.

The object of my invention is to provide'a device of the class above indicated that. shall be simple and durable in Construction and that shall be specially economical and compact.

My invention is illustrated in the aecompanying drawings in which-' Figure 1 is an end elevation, and Fi a'. 2 a front elevation of a circuit intcrrupter constructed in accordance therewith. the-inclosing casing being' in section in both figures in order to disclose the Operating mechanism, Figs. 3, 4, 5, G, 7, and 8 are detail views of the Operating parts of the (levice.

Referring to the drawings, the device here illustrated comprises an inclosiug` casing 1, which consists of a supporting' 'trame 2, a fluid-containing tank 3 and a cover 4; an insulating plate or slab 5, stationary contact nembers 6 and 7, a movable `.contact member 8, an Operating meehanisn and an electro-responsive releasing mechanism.

The Operating mechanism com-prises a main sh'aft 11 which is journaled inbearings 12 and 13 formed in opposite side walls ot the supporting frame 2, an Operating 'lever 14, which is rotatably mounted on the sha ft 11 substantially at its middle point, and at the middle point 'of the lever, a. stationary cross strip 15 which is substantially parallel to the shaft 11 and is directly above it and `helical springs 16 and' 17 that are eoiled about the shaft 11 between the lever Ll and the bearings 12 and 1 3. One end of the shaft 11 extends through the wall of the frame'2 and is, provided with an Operating handle lever 18 by which rotative movement of the shaft in either direction may be ef- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 9, 1908.

Serial No. &31,818.

fected. The ends of the spring 16 extend upwardly in substantially vertical lines, one on one side of the strip 15 and one on the other. The outer end of the spring 16 is also engaged by an arm 19 of a dog 20 that is fixed to the shaft 11 adjacent to the bearing 12, the said arm 19 and strip 15 being on the same side of the spring end. A dog 21, which is located between the spring 16 and the lever 14, has a projeetion 22, that. cngages the inner end of the spring on the same side as that engaged by the strip 15.

The ar 'angement ot parts is such that the spring tends to return the sh'aft 11 to a predetermined central or intermediate position when it is moved therefrom in either direction. The outer end of the spring: 17 cngages the strip 15 but its inner end is so engaged by a. projection 23 of the lever 14 that it tends to so move the lever 14 as to cause the movable contact members to be separated from the stationary contact members. The dog- 21 is also provided with a downwardly extending projeetion 24, which is adapted to engage a. lug 25011 the side of the lever 14 when the shet t 11 is aetuated in one direction and to engage the outer end of an arm or tripping lever 26 when the shaft 11 is aetuated in the opposite direction. The arm 26 forms a part of a bell cranlc lever which is biturcated and is fulcrumed upon a pin 28 that projects laterally through the lever 14- near one end. The bell Patented, Sept. 12, 1911.

cranlc lever compriscs a latch projection 29 and tripping` levers 26 and 30.

The clect'od'es onsiv'e release mechanism may be constructed in any suitable maimer and compriscs` as illustratcd in the drawings a magnet coil 34, a stationary core member 31, a` movablc core member 32 and a hammer rod 33 which is seeured to the movablc member and extends loescly through a hole in the stationary member. This hammer rod is ada pted to engage the outer end ot the lever 30 when the coil 34: is encrgized.

The contact members, which form no part o't my present invention and may comprise. in general, cylindrical bloclts of conducting material, two of which eonstitute the stationary members and are Secured to the plate 5 and two others which are parts of the movable member and are resiliently secured to opposite ends of a cross bar 35 and are electrically connected together by a flexible conductor 36 and the coil 3-1, which is included in circuit therewith. The cross bar 35 is Secured to the lower end of a connecting link 37 which is interposed between 'one end of the lever lt and an intermediate point in the'bar. The rotative movements of the lever 14: about the shaft ll are limited by projections 38 and 39 on the supporting trame 2.

The operation of thccincuit interrupter is as tollows: Assuming that one end ot the lever 14 engages projection 38, the stationary and' movable contact members being then separated to a maximum degree, it itis desire'd to close the circuit controlled by the intcrrupter, the liandle lever 18 and the shaft ll are turned in a clockwise direction to bring the projection 2-, ot the dog 21, into engagement with the lug 25 on the lever 14 and, as the rotative movement is continued, the lever l t will 'be so moved as to raise the movable .contact member S into engagcment with the stationary contact members 6 and 7. The above specified movement of .the shaft is opposed by the spring` 16 and that of the lever 14 is opposed bythe spring 17 but the lever is held in this closed circuit position by the engagement of the latch 29 with a projection 40 on the supporting frame 2. The handle lever will be returned to its intermediate position as soon as'itis released by the attendant. If the current traversing the coil 34- exceeds a predetermined amount, the movable .core member 32 will be actuated and the rod 33 Will strike the lever 30 and cause a slght rotative movement of the bell crank 27 upon the pin 28 to release the latch 29 from the projcction 40. A similar action may be ettected by an attendant by rotating the handle 18 and the shaft 11 in a counterclockwise direction .whereby the projection 24 of the spring dog 21 is moved into cngagement with the end of the arm 26 of the bellcrank lever. As soon as the latch is released, the 'spring 17 will cause a rapid movement of the movable contact member away froni the statonary members and an interruption of the crcuit will result.

The tank 3 nay be filled with oil or other suitable'insulating fluid in which it is de-' sired to immerse the contact members and the coil 'which forms a. part of the release mechanism.

Fronrthe forcgoin'g description it will be understood by those familiar with the art that a positive operation of the device is always ett'ected while the perating med anism is specially simple and compact.

l iiasmuch as various strubtural modications may be etfected in the device illustrated without depa'ting 'from the spirit of my invention, I desire that only such limitations shall be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In 'a circuit breal zer, the combination with a stationary contact member, an operatin leve", a shal't upon which said lever is fulcrumed and rom which it projects in opposite directions, and springs-'or respectivcly retnrning the shatt and the lever to open-circuit positions, ot' a movable contact member pivotally Suspended from one end ot said lever, a latch pivotally Suspended ironi the other end ot said lever, and means dependent. upon a rot-ative n'ovement of the pended `from one end of the lever, a contact member to which said link is attached, a lat-h pivotally snspendedfrom the opposite end ot the lever and means dependent upon a predetermined movement of said shatt for tripping the latch.

ln a eircut-breaker, the combination with a rotatively mo 'able shaft and an operat-ing lever t'ulcrumed upon the shaft at an intermediate point in its length, of a movable contact member opei'atively connected to one, end of 'the lever, stationary contact members coiiperating therewith, a latch member 'iivotallv Suspended from the opposite end ot the lever tor holding the contactmembers in eng'agement with each other, a helical spring coiled about the shalt and opposing rotative n'ovement ot' the lever in 'one direction, a second heliial spring coiled' about the shatt and opposine rotative movement ot the shatt in either direction and means dependent upon rotative movement of the shatt in one direction forc-losing' the cir-.

cuit-breaker and means dependent upon rotative movement-ot' the sha'ft in the opposite direction for tripping the latch member.

4. In a circuit-breaker, the combination .with stationary and movable contact members, of an' Operating lever fulcriuned upon a horizontal axis and projecting therefrom in opposite directions, a link eonnecting the movable contact member to one end of the lever, an Operating` handle, resilient means torreturning the lever te open-circmt postion, a. latch member pivotally Suspended trom the 'opposite end ot the lever, an automatic latch-tripping means, and a means de: pendent upon a predetermined movement ot the' Operating handle for trippin, the latch.

5, In a cireuit-breaker, the conbination with stationary and movable contact mem- I bei-s, a rotatively movable shaft mounted in a horizontal'plane and an Operating lever other means dependent upon rotative movement of the shaft in One direction for tripping the latch. 4

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 15 subscrbed my name this 30th day of April, 1908.

FORD W. HARRIS. VVitnesses z G. S. CHRISTMAN, BIRNEY HINES. 

